Attachment- learning theory Flashcards
What does this theory revolve around
Food
What is positive reinforcement
Positive reinforcement occurs when desirable behaviours are encouraged as they receive pleasant consequences
(e.g a child smiles and is rewarded with attention, reinforcing the smiling behaviour as it gains a pleasant consequence)
What is negative reinforcement
Negative reinforcement occurs when a behaviour is encouraged as is causes an unpleasant consequence to be removed
(e.g a parent picks up a child when it is crying and the crying stops, reinforcing the picking up behaviour as it stops an unpleasant consequence).
What is a primary reinforcer
Fulfill biological needs e.g. food fulfils hinger
What is a secondary reinforcer
Get their power through association (allow you to gain) with Primary reinforcers
e.g. 1 cash allows you to get food;
e.g. 2 - the PAF allows you to gain food
3 main predictions of learning theory
The child will form attachments on the basis of primary care provision (feeding etc.)
Attachment behaviour should increase steadily from birth
The strongest attachments will be with those who provide the most primary care
Evaluation, evidence
- Schaffer and Emerson
Schaffer and Emerson research shows some support for the learning theory. For example, in their study on stages of attachment they found that………
61% of the samples main attachment figure was the person who fed them or bathed them
This shows that most fants strive to form attachments based on food like learning theory suggests
Evaluation, contradictory evidence
An issue with the learning theory of how attachments form is there is research which refutes the fundamental ideas of the theory.
For example, Harlow (1959) contradicts the idea that food is key for learning how to form attachment, as Harlow found when he studied rhesus monkeys…….
They preferred COMFORT more than FOOD - spending upto 15 hours a day with comfort and just 1 hour with the feeding wire surrogate
This suggests that….learning theory of attachment has contradictory evidence and theoretical flaws
Evaluation, scientific
The learning explanation of attachment is based on scientific and objective phenomena
For example, when explaining attachment it focuses exclusively on observable and falsifiable behaviours e.g. the joy on reunion that the baby shows to the caregiver; or its overt contentment when being fed.
This means this explanation of attachment helps support the view that psychology is a scientific subject - worthy of respect and additional research funding!
Evaluation, better alternatives
The learning theory may be less valid as there are other explanations for attachments, which may be considered more comprehensive. For example, Bowlby’s monotropic theory can explain how we have evolved to form attachments. This theory takes a nature view on attachment behaviour, which is the opposite to the learning theory.
This implies learning theory may be incomplete in its bland focus of attachment purely on environmental features
Evaluation, well validated
However, the learning theory is an existing, validated theory……..
which cannot only explain the complex world of infant attachments, but can be applied to explain many human behaviours as well e.g. the acquisition of phobias, treating mental health conditions etc
This implies that learning theory is a trusted and reliable mechanism to explain a variety of behaviours
How does classical conditioning tie in with learning theory
Food= UCS
Pleasure= UCR
Parent = NS
parent becomes CS when paired with food
